As Dhaka Whips Up Anti-India Sentiments, Mood Sours In India

With Bangladesh top law officers declaring that the issue of banning ISKCON was a “high priority” for the Mohammad Yunus Interim regime, it may certainly seem as if things could be getting tough for ISKCON in that country. But then what Dhaka may not have bargained for is that if it continues to view ISKCON with suspicion, it would realise that the anti-India sentiment it is whipping up could be reciprocated. Already a private hospital in Kolkata went public declaring it will henceforth not treat any “Bangladeshi patient”. “The country which disrespects our flag, kills minorities we cannot treat them. For us our country is first,” tweeted the hospital. Then a rally, near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner’s office in Agartala, that was taken out under the Hindu Sangharsh Samity’s banner to protest the arrest of ISCKON leader stormed the premises of the Bangladesh consular office. Regretting the breach, the MEA issued a statement saying “Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances.” “Don’t let Dhaka get away with spilling Hindu blood. Don’t buy products sourced from Bangladesh,” were campaigns flooding X. “Meanwhile, the RSS came out strongly denouncing violence against the Hindus. In a strongly worded statement RSS Sarkaryvah Dattatreya Hosabale flayed the arrest of the ISKCON Sanyasi Pujya Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das who was leading a “peaceful protests of Hindus”. He urged the Indian government to continue with every possible effort to prevent the ongoing atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh and take necessary steps to garner international support in this regard. It may be recalled that it was the attacks on Hindus by Islamists in Bangladesh that spurred UP CM Yogi Adityanath to give a clarion call for Hindu unity with his popular “batenge toh katenge“– a call that was endorsed by the Sangh and had helped BJP sweep Maharashtra.